Podcast: The Basque Derby

I am joined by Christopher Evans, author of Los Leones, an absolutely superb book on the history of Athletic Club de Bilbao. We’re looking at the Basque Derby – Athletic Club v Real Sociedad. It’s an iconic derby wrapped up in fierce Basque identity.

We cover:

1. The clubs’ origins: We delve into the origins of Athletic Club de Bilbao (1898) and Real Sociedad (1909), highlighting their early years and the initial rivalry.
2. The cultural and economic differences: We explore the contrasting identities of Bilbao, an industrial port city, and San Sebastian, a more tourist-oriented, foody city near the French border.
3. Athletic Club’s Basque-only philosophy, ‘La Cantera’: We discuss the establishment of Athletic Club’s Basque-only player policy in 1911 – a reaction to Real Sociedad’s complaints – and its lasting impact on the club’s identity.
4. The 1976 Ikurriña incident: We highlight the politically significant event on 5 December, 1976, where captains from both clubs displayed the banned Basque flag (Ikurriña) in a match, marking a pivotal moment in post-Franco Basque history.
5. Notable encounters: We recount key historical encounters, including the April 1992 match where Athletic Club facilitated Real Sociedad’s title win, and the 1983-84 season match that secured Athletic Club’s championship.
6. Copa del Rey Final 2020: We cover the delayed Copa del Rey final due to COVID-19, which Real Sociedad won 1-0 against Athletic Club in 2021.
7. Rivalry and Unity: We discuss the unique “frenemy” relationship between the clubs, marked by both rivalry and Basque solidarity, with instances of mutual support and shared cultural pride.
8. Groundhopping tips: We provide tips for visiting Bilbao, visiting San Mamés and the Athletic Club museum, plus some other notable Basque clubs.

I release a new podcast every two weeks, so be sure to subscribe on your preferred podcast platform. You can find Football Travel by Outside Write on Apple, Spotify, Player.FM and Anchor. Look for it in Google Podcasts too. I’d really appreciate a rating or view if you like what I’m doing as it helps others discover the podcast. 

If you’d like to support the podcast further, please consider buying me a coffee.

The podcast is sponsored by Pibe de Barrio, the on-the-ground football experts in Buenos Aires, helping you live the Argentine matchday experience.